Allstate to Once Again Encourage Volunteerism on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
November 23 2009 - 2:21PM
PR Newswire (US)
Allstate honoring four 'Heroes' who best represent the ideals of
Dr. King through giving back in their communities NORTHBROOK, Ill.,
Nov. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allstate Insurance Company today
announced it is once again encouraging volunteerism on Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day, to be observed in cities across the country
on January 18, 2010. As part of the company's recognition of Dr.
King's vision and its own commitment to volunteerism, Allstate is
also honoring four African-American volunteers who generously serve
their communities through extensive volunteer efforts and
continuously make a positive impact in their neighborhoods. Lucy
Hall-Gainer from Atlanta, Xavier Jefferies from Charlotte, N.C.,
Marquis Smith from Washington, D.C., and Deanna Woods from Chicago
have been designated as the inaugural Allstate Give Back Day
Heroes. Each has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to making
positive contributions in their communities through volunteering
their time and effort to important causes. "Allstate Give Back Day
reinforces the importance of giving back to your community and this
year we're excited to recognize four special individuals who
demonstrate a commitment to volunteerism and giving back just as
Martin Luther King, Jr. did," said Anise Wiley-Little, assistant
vice president and chief diversity officer for Allstate. "We hope
their stories inspire people to put their 'good hands' to good work
in their own neighborhoods, not just on Give Back Day but
throughout the year." As part of their recognition, each Hero will
attend the King Center's "Salute to Greatness" Awards Banquet in
Atlanta on January 16, 2010 alongside Allstate chairman, president
and chief executive officer, Tom Wilson. Allstate will be presented
with the "Salute to Greatness" Award on behalf of the company's
ongoing dedication to the principles and philosophy of Dr. King
during the reception. Each Hero will participate in an Allstate
volunteer event in their hometown alongside Allstate employees and
local citizens on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Allstate is
encouraging citizens interested in participating in Give Back Day
on January 18, 2010 to visit BeyondFebruary.com to find volunteer
opportunities in their communities. This interactive Web site links
to VolunteerMatch, an online search engine that promotes
volunteerism and civic engagement by matching volunteers with
charitable organizations and non-profits. VolunteerMatch contains
thousands of volunteer opportunities in communities all across the
country. Additionally, visitors to the Web site can view profiles
of the four Give Back Day Heroes and learn about their community
involvement through a series of video interviews and blog posts.
Allstate is continuing to collaborate with the King Center in
Atlanta to celebrate its second annual Allstate Give Back Day
initiative by hosting a volunteer rally after the annual
commemorative service honoring Dr. King at Ebenezer Baptist Church
on the morning of January 18, 2010. To reinforce the company's
commitment to giving back, Allstate also is mobilizing Give Back
Day events in markets across the country, to reinforce the
dedication that Dr. King had to giving back to the community with a
wide range of projects. "Allstate has truly stepped up by creating
Give Back Day, an outstanding volunteer initiative that embodies
the spirit of my father and everything he fought for," said Bernice
King, Dr. King's youngest daughter. "But an even greater tribute to
my father's legacy is evidenced by the people, like the Give Back
Day Heroes, who demonstrate the commitment to serve their
communities throughout the year, not just on MLK Day." More about
the 2010 Allstate Give Back Day Heroes: Lucy Hall-Gainer - Atlanta,
Ga. For more than a decade, Lucy Hall-Gainer has assisted troubled
women in Atlanta by providing them with a safe haven - the Mary
Hall Freedom House (MHFH), named in memory of Hall-Gainer's mother.
As the organization's CEO, she has helped more than 2,500 women
beat addiction and become self-sufficient individuals. Hall-Gainer
established MHFH with just $5,000, two apartments and two employees
in 1996. Today, MHFH has over 50 apartments and 70 employees to
accommodate distressed women and their children. At age six,
Hall-Gainer watched her mother die of alcoholism, inspiring her
life-long commitment to helping others. An addict herself for 10
years, Hall-Gainer sought help and guidance to eventually end her
reliance on drugs and alcohol. With several years of experience
working with nonprofits, Hall-Gainer is now living her dream of
empowering women and their children to break the cycle of
addiction, poverty and homelessness, offering that same helping
hand with MHFH. Xavier Jefferies - Charlotte, N.C. At only 17 years
of age, high school student Xavier Jefferies has done more for his
community than most people do in a lifetime. Jefferies' extensive
volunteer efforts include donating his time to the local YMCA's
after-school daycare, where he tutors children in an effort to help
them advance in both academics and athletics. He is the founder and
president of the Kick Back Crew, a philanthropic youth group
dedicated to beautifying Rockwell Park through a variety of
community service initiatives. Jefferies spends his summers at the
YMCA Blue Ridge Leaders' School training teens to become leaders in
physical education and annually attends the Young Black Men's
conference with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life
in his community. Recognized in 2009 by The Charlotte Observer for
his outstanding commitment to his Rockwell Park neighborhood,
Jefferies was also honored with the 2009 Charlotte Neighborhood
Youth Award. It was the second consecutive year he received the
award. Marquis Smith - Washington, D.C. All his life, Marquis Smith
has embraced the need for people to give back to their communities,
and he took his mission of service one step further when he joined
the Army. Upon his return from a three-year tour of duty, Smith
compiled more than 600 hours of volunteerism as an AmeriCorps
Jumpstart corps member. Today, he continues his community outreach
as a student at Howard University. An education major, Smith is
involved with "Library Makeover," an organization that helps
renovate and build libraries in deprived neighborhoods. Smith also
interns at the Heart of America Foundation promoting literacy and
volunteerism. In his free time, Smith lends a hand to Washington,
D.C.'s Sunday Suppers program where he helps prepare and serve more
than 200 meals for the homeless on a bi-weekly basis. In 2006,
shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Smith organized a clothing drive
for the homeless in his former hometown of Baton Rouge, La., and
collected over 3,500 items in just one month. Smith later organized
a toy drive for low-income families in the city, donating more than
1,300 new toys to Toys 4 Tots, local churches and families. Deanna
Woods - Chicago, Ill. In March 2006, Deanna Woods' niece, Seritha
White, 10, was killed by a stray bullet in her West Englewood,
Ill., home as her family was celebrating a birthday party. It was
this horrific tragedy that launched Woods into a life of giving
back to her community. The incident inspired Woods to create the
68th and Marshfield Block Club and become an ambassador for
Teamwork Englewood, an organization founded to promote community
development. Along with more than 50 other members living near the
same city block in Englewood, Woods, who serves as club president,
challenges community issues such as drug dealing and gun violence.
Woods is part of community policing with a mission to negotiate
with gang members that they stay out of certain areas. Known in her
neighborhood as the aunt of "Englewood angel" Seritha White, she
has become a surrogate mother to the children of West Englewood who
are looking for a trusted friend. With a focus on children's safety
and growth, Woods' community work has been recognized by Local
Initiatives Support Corporation /Chicago when it named her one of
25 community heroes in 2006. About Allstate The Allstate
Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held
personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good
Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection
and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what
they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access
Allstate insurance products and services through Allstate agencies,
independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial
representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via
http://www.allstate.com/ and 1-800 Allstate®. DATASOURCE: Allstate
Insurance Company CONTACT: Raleigh Floyd of Allstate,
+1-847-402-5600; or Bates Grainger of Taylor, +1-704-548-8556, for
Allstate Web Site: http://www.allstate.com/
Copyright
Allstate (NYSE:ALL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Allstate (NYSE:ALL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024